NEWS

Nippon TV Beleza, who secured their 10th Nadeshiko League title earlier this month, wrapped up their 2008 campaign on a winning note by beating TASAKI Perule 4-1 on the final day of the league on Sunday.

Beleza secured their 10th overall league title on November 8.
Beleza and Nadeshiko Japan forward Shinobu Ohno scored her team’s second goal on a penalty in the 52nd minute to improve her tally to 20 goals, making her the top goalscorer in the league.
Midfielder Yayoi Kobayashi and defenders Nayuha Toyoda and Akiko Sudo also scored for Beleza.
Beleza had a 17-2-2 win-draw-loss record for 53 points, eight more than second-place INAC Leonessa’s 45 points from a 14-3-4 record. Urawa Reds Ladies finished third with 43 points and a 13-4-4 record.
INAC beat Albirex Niigata Ladies 4-2 and Urawa lost 2-1 to Iga FC Kunoichi on the final day, allowing INAC to leapfrog the Reds into second place.
As TASAKI Perule will be disbanded this year due to the withdrawal of their sponsor, Japanese jewelry company TASAKI Shinju Co. Ltd., the 2009 season will be played with eight teams each in Division One and Division Two.
TASAKI Perule won the league once and were runners-up four times and captured the All-Japan Women’s Championship four times.
Japanese women’s football now moves on to the season-closing All-Japan Women’s Championship starting on Saturday. The final will be held on January 1 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, prior to the men’s Emperor’s Cup final.